Shattered Masks

"Mr. Carter, fancy meeting you here," I said, my attention shifting past Ruby to Seth, who was trying to slip out unnoticed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sweat on her brow gather and slide down in a neat streak.

I let out a soft laugh, gave a nonchalant shrug, and said with a hint of scorn, "Here I was thinking you'd be busy revising the bid for that Cascade City deal. Looks like your company isn't exactly chomping at the bit..."

Seth stepped forward, head down, a glint of resentment fleeting across his eyes.

"Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott, good to see you. I was just wrapping up an impromptu meeting here and was about to head back to work on that bid, just like you wanted."

Ruby, quick to pick up on Seth's discomfort, latched onto my arm and said in a sugary tone, "Come on, love. Mr. Carter is my supervisor, and he's always looked out for me at work. Let's not give him a hard time, okay?

"Mr. Carter, you really should've come to me knowing my husband's company is eyeing the Cascade City project. I could've talked to him. He'd do anything for me, and I bet he'd have handed the project right over to us."

I could not help but smirk on the inside, though my face stayed cool as ice.

'Ruby, dear Ruby. After everything, do you really think I'd just hand over a cash cow to your little side piece?' I mused.

"Mr. Carter, I would've been more understanding if I'd known you were looking after my wife so well.

"However, there's a snag with the bid today, Mr. Carter. Why don't you give it another once-over, and we'll touch base about what's next?"

Seth, seeing I was softening, could not thank me enough before he scurried off.

His smug, mocking face was plastered all over the hotel's glass doors as he left.

"Don't worry, your grin won't last long," I assured myself.

I peeled Ruby off me and, taking her hand, we made our way into the hotel.

"Honey? What's going on?" she murmured, her eyes downcast, the picture of faux innocence.

I did not bother with an answer, just led her into the elevator and hit a button without looking.

The doors slid shut, and she was all over me, eyes batting and lips pouting.

However, her breath... It reeked of something foul.

Trapped in that tight space, the stench was unmistakable, and Ruby clammed up, her eyes darting around until they landed on the button I had pressed.

It was the floor of her recent rendezvous with Seth.

A fresh sheen of sweat dotted her forehead, and she kept her mouth clamped shut, the bad taste betraying her.

"What are you up to, honey..." she started to say, her voice trembling.

She did not get to finish. The elevator dinged, and we were there.

I marched her down the hall to the presidential suite I had prepared.

With each step, her resistance grew stiffer, and by the time we reached the door, she was shaking like a leaf.

I flicked out a key card, swiped us in, and flung Ruby into the room.